Documentation

Project Documentation

Foundation

Description

A tag that defines an autosuggest control complete with Ajax binding.
This allows you to do real time autocompletion via asynchronous
server requests. Note, this control is experimental and it is currently
located in the MyFaces sandbox and can be subject to
alteration in the immediate future. So use it with care.

Screen Shot

API

component-family

javax.faces.Input

renderer-type

org.apache.myfaces.InputSuggestAjax

component-class

org.apache.myfaces.custom.inputsuggestAjax.InputSuggestAjax

renderer-class

org.apache.myfaces.custom.inputsuggestAjax.InputSuggestAjaxRenderer

tag-class

org.apache.myfaces.custom.inputsuggestAjax.InputSuggestAjaxTag

Syntax

Instructions

id - defines the id of the control
suggestedItemsMethod - defines the method call for the backend bean which delivers the preview data
maxSuggestedItems - defines the number of maximal suggested entries (optional)
value - standard bean value for the result
binding - the binding into a control object, this binding is needed because the control object does all the
needed data transformation between the Ajax control and the backend/frontend

Note - This component is different to others, it uses Ajax mechanisms
to fetch preview data from the server, thus the backend binding can
and will be used outside of the standard JSF lifecycle to deliver the data.

Description of the call order:
control -> Ajax request -> suggestionMethod in backend bean -> values pushed into the control binding -> result sent back to the client -> control shows suggestion drop down

On the backend side, a callback method - the suggestion method, has to be implemented,
which is called by the Ajax request and
fetches the data from a data source. The data then is pushed into the control binding similarly
to drop down menus and other controls which use the SelectItem object as data holder.
The rest is done automatically.